Reinforced package and method for its preparation

ABSTRACT

A reinforced package comprising a bag-like envelope having a reinforcing plate therein, wherein the goods are placed on one side of the plate between the envelope and the plate and the package together with its reinforcing plate and contents is folded at least double so that the contents are confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate.

United States Patent 1191 [11] 3,827,552 Janhonen Au 6 1974 [54] REINFORCED PACKAGE AND METHOD 2,197,845 4/ :Vard 206/56 AB 2,330,311 9/] ierce 229/55 FOR ITS PRFIPARATIYQN 2,357,339 9/1944 Mathieu 206/56 AB [76] Inventor: Veikko llmarl Janhonen, 2,582,346 1/1952 Mullinix 229/55 Viikinmaentie 19, 00560 Helsinki 3,223,311 12/1965 Becker et a1 206/65 R 56, Finland 3,442,372 5/1969 Carmichael et a1 206/46 [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. [21] App! 307967 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Scrivener Parker Scrivener & Clarke [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 23, 1971 Finland 3349/71 Aug. 24, 1972 Finland 2354/72 ABSTRACT A reinforced package comprising a bag-like envelope 8" having a reinforcing plate therein, wherein the goods [58] i "2O6/46 FR 5 AB 65 R are placed on one side of the plate between the envele 0 46 AP 229/55 87 lope and the plate and the package together with its reinforcing plate and contents is folded at least double 56 R f d so that the contents are confined between walls 1 UNITE]; g g /2:28 Z E S formed by the reinforcing plate. 2,030,634 2/1936 Holloway 206/47 R 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3.827.552 4 SHEET 1 [IF 3 PAIENTEDAUG 6:924 3.827.552

' sum 2 0F 3 PAIENTEDAUB 61914 V 3327 552 SHEET 3 [IF 3 Fig.5

REINFORCED PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR ITS PREPARATION The object of the present invention is a reinforced package, comprising a bag-like envelope and a reinforcing plate placed inside this envelope. This kind of reinforced package is intended for use as a shipping package suitable for various kinds of printed matter, in the first place books, and e.g. for skeins of yarn, lantern slides, etc., especially for their shipping by mail.

Corresponding packages known in prior art have comprised a packaging bag proper, within which there is on one side a reinforcing plate, whereby the other side has been protected merely by the envelope and therefore the contents have been exposed to external impacts and violence, which has caused damage particularly to sensitive goods.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the drawback mentioned above and to provide a package by the use of which even sensitive goods can be forwarded to their destination safely and without damage, and the packaging of which can still be performed in very little time, while furthermore one and the same package is appropriate for the packaging of shipments even considerably varying in quantity of goods.

This aim is attained in the invention mainly owing to the characteristic that the bag-like envelope together with its reinforcing plate and with its contents has been folded at least double so that the contents remain confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate.

Another object of the invention is a method for preparing a package according to the invention, comprising a step wherein, prior to packaging, the reinforcing plate is placed inside. the bag-like envelope, and whereupon the goods to be packaged are placed on one side of the reinforcing plate, between the bag-like envelope and the reinforcing plate. The packaging method according to the invention is characterized in that the package together with its reinforcing plate and contents is folded at least double so that the contents are confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate.

In the following, a few embodiment examples of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawing, wherein FIG. 1 shows a package according to the invention, spread flat, prior to packaging,

FIG. 2 shows the same package during the packaging phase, a

FIG. 3 shows the completed package,

FIG. 4 shows the section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a package according to another embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 6 shows a package according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4, these show a package according to the first embodiment, consisting of a baglike envelope 1 and of a reinforcing plate 2 placed, preferably loosely, inside this envelope. The bag-like envelope 1 has a length substantially greater than that of the reinforcing plate 2, whereby the bag mouth 3 extends freely a certain distance beyond the front edge of the reinforcing plate 2. The goods to be packaged consist, for instance, of two books 5, of which one is placed on the bottom of the package and the other in its front part, whereupon the package is folded in the manner illustrated by FIG. 2 along the folding line 4, which is determined by the dimensions of the goods to be packaged. If desired, the reinforcing plate 2 may be provided with folding grooves or equivalent, e.g. by embossing, but to enable one and the same package to be used for goods of different dimensions it is advantageous to use a sufficiently flexible reinforcing plate 2 which in the process of packaging can be bent and folded at any point determined by the dimensions of the goods. Since the goods are packed, prior to folding, on one side of the reinforcing plate and the package is then folded so that the reinforcing plate remains on the outer side, the packaged goods will remain, in the completed package as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate 2, and thus protected against impacts. The mouth portion 3 of the bag 1 is folded to constitute a flap closing the edge of the completed package and may be secured in its place e.g. by means of adhesive bands or tapes 6. In the completed package, the packaged goods 5 are mutually separated by the inner member of the bag-like envelope 1.

In case the goods to be packaged are particularly sensitive to impacts, it may be necessary to surround them on even more sides by the reinforcing plate. To this purpose, it is also possible to fold the end portion of the reinforcing plate closest to the bag mouth 3 to protect the side of the package coincident with the mouth of the bag. In that case the reinforcing plate 2 has been dimensioned to have an appropriately greater length, which almost equals that of the bag-like envelope 1. The reinforcing plate 2 may be provided with folding grooves or equivalent, not only in transverse direction, but also close to its side in longitudinal direction, whereby, with the aid of incisions made in the marginal part of the reinforcing plate, the marginal part may be folded to protect also the end of the package. However, the last-mentioned protection is unnecessary as a rule, because a package protected by means of a reinforcing plate 2 on three sides, or at least one so protected on four sides, normally suffices to protect even considera bly sensitive products.

FIG. 5 shows an advantageous embodiment of the in vention, wherein the package has been shaped to constitute a continuous bag 1, within which there is, in the form of a continuous strip, a reinforcing plate 2'. A continuous packaging bag of this type can be wound on a large storage roll. For packaging, a portion of desired length is cut from the packaging bag, its length being determined by the kind and number of items to be packaged. It is thus understood that the length of the package cut-off is substantially equivalent to a multiple of the length of the goods to be packaged, being however slightly in excess of such a multiple namely, by the amount required for the folds and for the mouth flap. The goods to be packaged, 5, are inserted through the cut of ends of the package, as indicated by arrows A. The package is folded along one or several lines similarly as has been shown in FIG. 2, so that the reinforcing plate 2 is wound around the goods to be packaged. Since the package can be filled through both ends of the bag, the procedure is easy even when a package with a considerable length has to be prepared. One half of the package is first packed and it is folded to be multiple. Thereafter, packaging through the other end is begun, and in the degree as the packaging proceeds, this part of the package is wound around the half of the package formed first. It is obvious that, in this embodiment too, the bag 1' and reinforcing plate 2 may initially be separate from each other and the reinforcing plate is only placed inside the bag when starting to pack a batch of goods.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 differs from that of FIG. in that by means of seams 7 compartments of the packaging bag have been formed, into which the goods 5 to be packaged can be inserted from the side, in the direction of arrow B. The continuous package may be cut e.g. at the seams 7 to constitute a package comprising two or several compartments, which are again folded so that the reinforcing plate 2' is left to protect the goods 5 on the outside. The reinforcing plate 2 may be narrower than the bag-like part 1, whereby a mouth flap 3' is left, which can be folded to close the mouth of the package.

Well appropriate as material for the envelope is pakind of goods to be packaged. In order to obtain a lightweight package appropriate for shipment by air, the reinforcing plate may also be perforated. Naturally, the invention is in no way confined to the embodiment examples presented in the foregoing, and without departure from the fundamental idea of the invention other embodiments are also possible, within the scope of the claims following hereinbelow. For instance, it is immaterial as regards the final package, whether the mouth aperture of the bag-like envelope is on the short or long side. It is also possible to place in each folded compartment of the package one or several goods items, de-

pending on need and on the desired package size.

I claim:

1. A reinforced package for books and the like comprising a bag-like envelope (1) within which a book may be inserted, and a reinforcing plate (2) within the envelope, the envelope being folded at least double so that the book is confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate (2).

2. Reinforced package according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the reinforcing plate (2) substantially equals a multiple of the length in the direction of the reinforcing plate of the unitary goods to be packaged, such as books.

3. Reinforced package according to claim 2, characterized in that the mouth (3) of the bag has been folded to constitute a flap closing the edge of the completed package.

4. Reinforced package according to claim 3, characterized in that the marginal end portion of the reinforcing plate has been folded toform a protection for the edge of the package coincident with the mouth (3).

5. Reinforced package according to claim 1, characterized in that the package has been formed to constitute a continuous bag which can be cut off to desired length, depending on the kind and number of goods serted from the side. 

1. A reinforced package for books and the like comprising a baglike envelope (1) within which a book may be inserted, and a reinforcing plate (2) within the envelope, the envelope being folded at least double so that the book is confined between walls formed by the reinforcing plate (2).
 2. Reinforced package according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the reinforcing plate (2) substantially equals a multiple of the length in the direction of the reinforcing plate of the unitary goods to be packaged, such as books.
 3. Reinforced package according to claim 2, characterized in that the mouth (3) of the bag has been folded to constitute a flap closing the edge of the completed package.
 4. Reinforced package according to claim 3, characterized in that the marginal end portion of the reinforcing plate has been folded to form a protection for the edge of the package coincident with the mouth (3).
 5. Reinforced package according to claim 1, characterized in that the package has been formed to constitute a continuous bag which can be cut off to desired length, depending on the kind and number of goods items to be packaged.
 6. Reinforced package according to claim 5, characterized in that the package has been seamed by seams (7) transversal to the bag to be divided into compartments, into which the goods to be packaged can be inserted from the side. 